Brush fire tops 100 acres in Gainesville Fire response

A gainesville fire in Alachua County grew from 2 acres to more than 100 acres on Monday afternoon, prompting road closures in Hawthorne. As of 4:15 p.m., County Road 325 was shut down from County Road 346 to Southeast 152nd Lane.

Hawthorne road closure

Alachua County Emergency Management said there were no evacuations at that time, and residents were told to stay tuned for any future notifications. The brush fire drew multiple Forestry units as crews worked to keep the response moving while traffic stayed off the closed stretch of County Road 325.

Fire response in Alachua County

The Florida Forest Service said Alachua County Fire Rescue made a reverse 911 notification to residents within a 3-mile radius of the fire. That notification covered people living closest to the burn area, while two Florida National Guard helicopters were ordered to support the effort from the air.

The fire’s spread from 2 acres to more than 100 acres changed the response from a local brush fire to a larger emergency operation within hours. For drivers in Hawthorne, the practical step was to avoid County Road 325 between County Road 346 and Southeast 152nd Lane until crews reopened it.